Download Low Fat Diet after Cardiac Surgery With or Without Chyle Leak

Low Fat Diet after Cardiac Surgery
With or Without Chyle Leak
What is chyle?
Chyle (sounds like kyle) is a milky white fluid that contains protein, fat,
cholesterol, lymphocytes, and electrolytes. It is made in the small intestine during
digestion and then goes through the lymphatic system into the blood stream.
What is a chyle leak?
If there is a chyle leak, the chyle builds up between the lung and the chest wall. It
will put pressure on the lungs and makes breathing more difficult. The leak may
happen after an injury, after surgery to the chest or neck, or after the completion
of a Fontan surgery.
How can a low fat diet help?
When fat is reduced in the diet, the body makes less chyle and therefore there is
less fluid that can leak. The leak may heal and stop the problem. Sometimes the
low fat diet is also ordered after the Fontan surgery to try to prevent a chyle leak.
Your child may have to follow a low fat diet for 6- 8 weeks or as directed by your
doctor. The goal is to eat as little fat as possible. Your child should eat and drink
only fat free or very low fat foods and beverages. The small amount of fat
allowed in the diet should not be eaten in one serving. Try to spread the fat in the
diet out over the day.
If this diet helps your child’s condition, your doctor will tell you when fat can be
added back in the diet.
Helpful Hints
Consider a fat free nutritional supplement (eg. Resource Breeze) if your
child is not getting enough calories and/or protein from foods.
Fat free foods are those where the total fat on the product’s Nutrition Facts
label is 0 to 0.5 grams of fat per serving.
Read all food labels for fat content.
Avoid using fat when cooking and preparing foods. Trim fat from meats
and bake, steam or broil as a cooking method. Choose very low fat meats
and do not add butter, margarine or oils for cooking.
Not all healthy foods are fat free.
List of Foods
Food Group
Milk and Milk Products
Recommended
Fat free milk
Evaporated skim milk
Non-fat dry milk powder
Fat free processed cheese
slices
Fat free sour cream
Fat free cottage cheese
Fat free cream cheese
Fat free pudding
Fat free Carnation Instant
Breakfast
Avoid
Dairy products such as
milk and yogurt with
more than 1% milk fat
Regular or low fat cheese
Regular or low fat cream
cheese
Regular or low fat cottage
cheese
Cheez Whiz
Food Group
Meats and Protein
Alternatives
Recommended
Lean white fish
Skinless chicken or
skinless turkey breast
Beans and legumes
Fat free hot dogs
Tuna packed in water
Fat-free deli meats
Egg whites or fat free egg
substitutes such as Egg
Beaters
Fat free vegetable
burgers
Avoid
Peanut butter and other
nut butters
Fried and battered meats
and poultry
Egg yolks
Beef, pork and fatty fish
Seafood such as shrimp,
scallops, and lobster
Shellfish such as clams,
mussels, and oysters
Food Group
Breads, Cereals and
Starches
Recommended
Bread, buns, plain bagels,
and pita bread
Fat free crackers, rice
cakes, muffins
Plain pasta
Plain rice
Melba toast
Cereals with less than 1
gram of total fat per
serving
White potatoes, yams or
sweet potatoes
Plain, air-popped popcorn
Avoid
Cheese and egg breads,
buns, bagels, and
croissants
Pasta stuffed with meat
or cheese, such as ravioli
or tortellini
Egg noodles or fried rice
Packaged noodle dishes
Crackers
Granola
Food Group
Vegetables and Fruit
Recommended
Plain, fresh, frozen or
canned vegetables
Vegetable and fruit juices
Apple and fruit sauces
Pasta sauce with less than
1 gram of total fat per
serving
Jelly and fruit spreads
Raisins or other fat free
dried fruits
Avoid
Avocado
Olives
Coconut
Canned fruit pie filling
Avoid any vegetables with
butter, cream sauce,
cheese sauce or fried
Food Group
Snacks/Treats/Desserts
Recommended
Rice cakes without
chocolate , cheese or
butter
Fat-free granola bars
Fat-free cookies
Sorbet, popsicles and
fruit ices
Fat-free pudding
Fat-free ice cream or
frozen yogurt
Hard candy, jelly beans,
gummy candies and gum
Jell-O and fruit gels
Fat-free chocolate,
strawberry, and maple
syrups
Avoid
Pastries
Cakes
Ice cream with fat
Doughnuts
Snack type chips
Nuts and Seeds
Muffins
Regular popcorn
Caramel
Toffee
Fudge
Chocolate
Food Group
Oils, spreads, and other
foods
Recommended
Fat free salad dressings
Fat free mayonnaise
Yellow mustard
Barbeque sauce
Hot sauce
Soy sauce
Herbs and Spices
Maple syrup
Sugar
Fat-free broths and soups
Salsa
Jams and jellies
Honey (for children older
than 1 year)
Pickles
Fat-free croutons
Avoid
Butter
Margarine
Oil
Regular mayonnaise
Soups and cream soups
Additional Information:
If you have questions, call: ______________________, Registered Dietitian
Phone: (717) 531- _________________ or (717) 531-8406